Whispers from Japan

Winter solstice will be upon us soon. Days will begin to get longer, and the promise of new beginnings is in the air.As we put 2017 behind us, just as we do every year, we want to say thanks to our r … read more

In July, the sun rises before 5:30 in Miyazaki, and my day starts early. By 7 o’clock, Momo (my 5-year-old Papillon) and Yuki (my 2-year-old Japanese Spitz) have had their morning stroll by a n … read more

Toko Shinoda is a leading Japanese avant-garde painter who just turned 104. For over seventy years she has kept on creating bold, evocative art which speaks from her heart. Toko-san created the pain … read more

Autumn has just arrived in Japan, and the mystical, other-worldly looking higanbana (red spider lily, Lycoris radiata) is in bloom. It's time for the Japanese to return to their family homes for … read more

April 7 marks the 102nd birthday of Satsue Mito (April 21, 1914 – April 7, 2012). I had the good fortune of meeting Mito-sensei, as everybody lovingly called her, in 2007. She was a tender woma … read more